Defunding the Control Grid
By literally disconnecting from
centralized utility services such as natural gas, electric,
municipal water, sewage, etc., one is instantly much freer from the
imposition of corporate rule and bureaucratic government.
Corporations and government are merging all across the first world
through initiatives like Agenda 21, Smart Meters, and urban planning
initiatives via local
Councils of Governments.
Economic collapse,
radical environmentalism, and general elitist thought which sees
humans as nothing more than manageable resources are being used in
tandem to herd people toward a future filled with densely populated,
centrally managed cities.
Truly independent living is being
discouraged (and even criminalized) at every turn, as seen in areas
of the California desert where "nuisance abatement teams" have
started to dictate parameters for how people live on their private
land. This has happened many times throughout history when societies
are subjected to a collectivist model.
All the more reason to take
the steps necessary to go off-grid now in any way possible before
such a decision becomes unavailable.
Economic Freedom
True freedom begins by not being a slave to
finances.
People often make horrible decisions and tolerate
unspeakable conditions out of a raw fear not having any better
option. A
global economic collapse is mathematically guaranteed to
happen by nearly every top independent economist, and the warnings
are even being issued now by the
global banking establishment
itself, which only means that any current traditional means of
employment remaining will be reduced even further.
It is time to
learn the skills necessary to be your own boss in whichever endeavor
would suit you best. It is a very wise move to make plans to preempt
the inevitable collapse by establishing a safe haven, surrounded by
like-minded people who can assist in weathering this type of
financial storm. This can be done in a myriad of ways.
We should be
looking to some of the innovative ways that Greek citizens are
taking action through
barter networks and alternative currencies.
Returning to a decentralized model that values
local co-ops and
alternative markets is not only a lifeboat that can save us, but an
essential form of protest against the failing establishment economy.
For those with Internet skills, starting a blog or website can be a
relatively fast way to generate extra income, or even to attain full
economic freedom from nearly anywhere in the world.
Infrastructure Reliability
With general economic collapse, or
natural disasters, comes the failing of key infrastructure.
One
normally doesn't realize how important water and power are, for
example, until one is forced to do without. Most people are ready
for a near nervous breakdown after just a day or two without either.
And this is nothing compared to a region-wide problem that could
last a week or more. It is essential that at the very least to give
yourself a solid idea of what such a scenario would look like, then
practice overcoming the situation. In so doing, you can identify
weak points, areas of lacking skill or preparedness and become
motivated to make serious changes to your priorities.
Learn key
skills such as
sourcing and
storing clean water, plumbing to create
independent water systems, as well electrical knowledge that help
you to create truly off-the-grid or backup power such as solar,
wind, geothermal, or
free energy systems.
Insulation From Civil Unrest
Part of being on the grid entails
being physically susceptible to events beyond your control.
As we
have seen repeatedly in even recent history, urban centers are not
the place to be if one wishes to live an independent lifestyle...
especially if all of the supposed conveniences that have been sold
as reasons to move into the city fail or get shut down. During times
of civil unrest,
martial law can be declared and easily implemented
to control movements of large populations.
Natural disasters create
massive havoc to residents of city environments. By choosing a
sparsely populated area, one can at the very least be given
sufficient lead time about problems that are spreading outward from
city areas.
Naturally, part of truly independent living is being
physically fit, prepared, and trained to be your own police force if
necessary. This is one of the additional strengths of setting up a
safe haven with close friends and family who may have the combined
skill-set necessary to alleviate the do-it-yourself approach to
everything.
Here is a website dedicated to helping people find
others who desire to go off-the-grid, as well as those who have land
and skills to offer: LandBuddy.
Food and Health Freedom
It is essential that you choose your
locale wisely;
find a local government that is supportive of food
freedom, or encourage your current government to declare food
sovereignty,
as Sedgwick, Maine did.
With the massive increase in
health raids, farm raids, and EPA regulations that are strangulating
independent food production, the first concern should be where will
you be most left alone to pursue your inherent right to pursue
health and happiness.
After you have identified your location, then
learn the
best methods for off-the-grid food production, such as
permaculture and aquaponics.
Lastly, there are clear mental health
benefits to being in good physical condition, as well as learning
the skills that will lead you to an independent lifestyle.
Even
according to the much maligned CDC, a mentally healthy individual
has positive attributes that include:
-
The ability to deal successfully with the common stresses of
everyday life.
-
The ability to recognize and use your native talents and skills.
-
And the ability to contribute to society through your work or your
volunteer activities.
Additional common attributes of mentally healthy people include:
-
The ability to adapt to new surroundings and situations.
-
The ability to develop and sustain supportive social relationships.
-
The ability to develop and sustain a strong sense of self-regard and
confidence.
-
The ability to balance work and other responsibilities with leisure
activities and other forms of personal downtime.
-
The ability to recover from personal setbacks.
-
And the ability to develop and maintain a sense of purpose or “a
place in the world.”
When all of these factors are taken into account,
less than 20
percent of adults in the U.S. have an excellent or ideal
psychological outlook.
(Source)
It is clear from the above bullet points, that what might seem like
a long journey to complete self-reliance, especially for those who
have yet to begin, is a truly worthwhile endeavor that will reveal
its value every step of the way.
Education
Compulsory education is about one thing and one thing
only - indoctrination. Scarcely anyone can identify how the current
school system benefits children or society as it is currently
structured.
Curriculums and teaching methods are grossly outdated,
while public schools are becoming more and more like prisons
everyday with strict rules and
biometric IDs or even RFID chips
being forced on children. It's not a healthy environment for true
learning to occur.
Even those who excel in the system are not
promised success like they used to be. With
53% of recent college
grads unemployed and drowning in debt, who could possibly argue that
this is still the best path to take?
To raise aware children who can
think independently, you should consider
homeschooling your kids.
For college, there are amazing free classes available online like
through
OpenCourseWare, or perhaps consider a trade school or
apprenticeship instead.
You could even just download a library of
how-to videos or lectures and become self taught in what you're
passionate about.
Living With Principle
This means different things for different
people, but it is hardly debatable that the negative elements of
modern society have become so pervasive and dominant that any person
who wishes to live an existence that does no harm to others is in
some way compromised.
-
Don't agree with wars? Your taxes fund them.
-
Don't agree with GMOs? Nearly impossible to escape them in any
modern setting.
-
Don't agree with criminal banks? Your money enriches
them, and the list of compromises goes on.
This is not something
that one should dwell on in our view, but it is one that should be
considered as a major bonus to off-the-grid independent living.
By
withdrawing financial support from companies, municipalities (or
even countries) that do not have your best interests at heart, many
who have gone off-the grid report feeling a restorative sense of
well being.
A life of creativity, production, and care-giving toward
family, loved ones, and community without being burdened by moral
compromise is the essence of a rewarding life.
